bl.necroscope2-第46部分

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　When　one　of　the　thing's　hands　came　up　from　the　soil　close　to　where　I　lay；　I　cursed　out　loud　and　kicked　it　away…and　how　it　shot　down　out　of　sight　then！　How　well　another　might　fare　I　could　not　say；　but　the　vampire　thing　was　certainly　wary　of　me。　Perhaps　it　sensed　that　I　was　a　higher　form…of　itself！　I　remember　how　at　the　time；　that　was　a　very　shuddersome　thought。
　Faethor　had　this　way　with　him：　he　was　devious；　sly　as　a　fox；　slippery　as　an　eel。　That　was　how　I　considered　him；　feelings　brought　on　by　sheer　frustration。　Of　course　he　was　that　way：　he　was　of　the　Wamphyri！　I　should　not　have　expected　him　to　be　any　other　way。　But　quite　simply；　he　would　not　be　ambushed。　I　spent　hours　waiting　for　him　behind　the　oak　door；　chains　in　my　hands；　hardly　daring　to　breathe　lest　he　hear　me。　But　let　hell　freeze　over；　he　would　not　e。　Ah！　But　only　let　me　fall　asleep。。。　a　squealing　piglet　would　wake　me；　or　the　fluttering　of　a　tethered　pigeon。　And　so　the　days；　probably　weeks；　passed　。
　I　will　give　him　his　due：　after　that　first　time　the　old　devil　didn't　let　me　get　too　hungry。　I　think　to　myself　now　that　the　initial　period　of　starvation　was　to　let　the　vampire　in　me　take　hold。　It　had　nothing　else　to　feed　on　and　so　must　rely　on　my　stored　fats；　must　bee　more　fully　a　part　of　me。　Similarly；　I　was　obliged　to　draw　on　its　strength。　But　as　soon　as　the　bond　was　properly　formed；　then　Faethor　could　begin　to　fatten　us　up　again。　And　I　use　that　phrase　advisedly。
　Along　with　the　food；　there　would　be　the　occasional　jug　of　red　wine。　At　first；　remembering　how　the　Ferenczy　had　drugged　me；　I　was　careful。　I　would　let　Ehrig　drink　first；　then　watch　for　his　reaction。　But　apart　from　a　loosening　of　his　tongue；　there　was　nothing。　And　so　I　too　drank。　Later　I　would　give　Ehrig　none　of　the　wine　but　consume　it　myself。　That；　too；　was　exactly　the　way　the　old　devil　had　planned　it。
　Came　the　time　when；　after　a　meal；　I　was　thirsty　and　quaffed　a　jug　at　one　swig…then　staggered　this　way　and　that　before　collapsing。　Poisoned　again！　Faethor　had　made　a　fool　of　me　at　every　turn。　But　this　time　my　vampire　strength　buoyed　me　up；　I　held　fast　to　my　consciousness；　and　sprawling　there　in　my　fever　I　wondered：　now　what　is　the　purpose　of　this？　Hah！　Only　listen；　and　I'll　explain　Faethor's　purpose。
　〃A　girl；　a　boy；　a　goat…blood　is　blood；〃　he'd　told　me　that　time。　〃The　blood　is　the　life。〃　Indeed；　but　what　he　had　not　told　me　was　this：　that　of　all　pulses　of　delight；　of　all　founts　of　immortality；　of　all　nectar…bearing　flowers；　that　one　source　from　which　a　vampire　would　most　prefer　to　sip　is　the　throbbing　red　rush　of　another　vampire's　blood！　And　so；　when　I　had　succumbed　more　fully　to　his　wine；　then　Faethor　came　to　me　again。
　〃Two　purposes　are　served　here；〃　he　told　me；　crouching　over　me。　〃One：　it　is　long　and　long　since　I　took　from　one　of　my　own；　and　a　great　thirst　is　on　me。　Two：　you　are　a　hard　one　and　will　not　submit　to　thraldom　without　a　fight。　So　be　it；　this　should　take　all　of　the　sting　out　of　you。〃
　〃What。。。　what　are　you　doing？〃　I　croaked　the　question；　tried　to　will　my　leaden　arms　to　rise　up　and　fend　him　off。　It　was　useless；　I　was　weak　as　a　kitten；　even　my　throat　found　the　greatest　difficulty　simply　forming　words。
　〃Doing？　Why；　I　sit　me　down　to　my　evening　meal！〃　he　answered；　gleefully。　〃And　such　a　menu！　Blood　of　a　strong　man…spiced　with　the　blood　of　the　fledgling　vampire　within　him！〃
　〃You。。。　you'll　drink　from。。。　from　my　throat？〃　I　stared　up　at　him　aghast；　my　vision　swimming。
　He　merely　smiled…but　a　smile　hideous　as　any　I　ever　saw　him　make…and　tore　my　clothes。　Then　he　put　his　terrible　tapering　hands　on　me　and　felt　my　flesh　all　over；　frowning　a　little　as　he　searched　for　something。　He　turned　me　on　my　side；　touched　my　spine；　pressed　it　again；　harder；　and　said；　〃Ah！　The　very　gobbet；　the　prize　itself！〃
　
　I　would　have　cringed　away　from　him　but　could　not。　Inside　I　cringed…perhaps　that　child　of　his　within　me　cringed；　too…but　externally　my　skin　merely　shivered。　I　tried　to　speak；　but　that　also　had　grown　too　difficult。　My　lips　only　trembled　and　I　made　a　moaning　sound。
　〃Thibor；〃　the　old　devil　said；　his　voice　level　as　if　in　polite　conversation；　〃you've　much　to　learn；　my　son。　About　me；　about　yourself；　about　the　Wamphyri。　You　are　not　yet　aware；　you　fail　to　perceive　all　the　mysteries　I　have　bestowed　upon　you。　But　what　I　am；　you　shall　be。　And　the　powers　I　possess；　they　too　shall　be　yours。　You　have　seen　and　learned　a　little；　now　see　and　experience　more！〃
　He　continued　to　balance　me　on　my　side；　but　propped　up　my　head　a　little　so　that　I　could　see　his　face。　His　magnetic　eyes　held　me；　a　fish；　speared　on　their　pupils。　My　blurred　sight　cleared；　the　picture　sharpened；　I　saw　more　clearly　than　ever　before。　My　body　and　limbs　might　well　be　made　of　lead；　but　my　mind　was　sharp　as　a　knife；　my　awareness　so　keen　that　I　could　almost　feel　the　change　taking　place　in　the　creature　who　leaned　over　me。　Faethor　had　somehow；　for　some　reason；　heightened　my　perceptions；　increased　my　sensitivity。
　〃Now　watch；〃　he　hissed。　〃Observe！〃
　The　skin　of　Faethor's　face；　large…pored　and　grainy　at　best；　underwent　a　swift　metamorphosis。　Watching　it　I　thought：　I　have　never　known　what　he　looks　like。　And　even　now　I　won't　know。　He　is　how　he　wants　me　to　see　him！
　The　pores　of　his　face　opened　up　more　yet；　pockmarks　cratering　his　flesh。　His　jaws；　enormous　already；　elongated　with　a　sound　like　gradually　tearing　cloth；　and　his　leathery　lips　rolled　back　until　his　mouth　was　all　bulging；　crimson　gums　and　jagged；　dripping　teeth。　I　had　seen　Faethor's　teeth　before；　but　never　displayed　like　this。　Nor　was　the　metamorphosis　plete。
　It　was　all　in　the　jaws；　in　the　teeth；　in　the　nightmarish
　Then；　for　a　long　time；　I　knew　no　more。
　For　which；　as　you　might　suppose；　I　was　not　unthankful　。
　
　At　first；　when　I　regained　consciousness；　I　thought　that　I　was　alone。　But　then　I　heard　Ehrig　whimpering　in　a　shadowed　corner…heard　him　and　remembered。　I　remembered　the　radeship　we'd　shared；　all　the　bloody　battles　we'd　been　through　together。　Remembered　how　he　had　been　my　true　friend；　who　would　gladly　lay　down　his　life　for　me…and　I　mine　for　him。
　Perhaps　he　remembered；　too；　and　that　was　why　be　whimpered。　I　did　not　know。　I　only　knew　that　when　the　Ferenczy　had　fastened　his　teeth　in　my　spine；　Ehrig　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　To　say　that　I　beat　him　would　not　do　his　punishment　justice；　but　without　Faethor's　vampire　stuff　in　him　he　would　certainly　have　died。　It　could　be　that　I　consciously　tried　to　kill　him；　I　can't　say　about　that；　either；　for　the　episode　is　no　longer　clear　in　my　mind。　I　only　know　that　when　I　was　done　with　him　he　no　longer　felt　my　blows；　and　that　I　myself　was　pletely　exhausted。　But　he　healed；　of　course；　and　so　did　I。　And　I　conceived　a　new　strategy。
　After　that　。　。　there　were　times　of　sleeping；　of　waking；　of　eating。　Outwardly；　life　consisted　of　little　more。　But　for　me　these　were　also　times　of　waiting；　and　of　patient；　silent　scheming。　As　for　the　Ferenczy：　he　tried　to　train　me　like　a　wild　dog。
　It　started　like　this：　he　would　e　silently　to　the　door　and　listen。　Strangely；　I　knew　when　he　was　there。　I　would　feel　fear！　And　when　I　became　afraid；　then　he　would　be　there。　At　times　I　could　feel　him　groping　at　the　edges　of　my　mind；　slyly　attempting　to　insinuate　himself　into　my　very　thoughts。　I　remembered　how　he　had　municated　with　old　Arvos　over　a　distance　and　did　what　I　could　to　close　my　mind　to　him。　I　think　I　succeeded　greatly；　for　after　that　I　could　sense　a　frustration　other　than　my　own。
　He　used　a　system　of　rewards：　if　I　was　〃good〃　and　obeyed　him；　there　would　be　food。　He　would　call　through　the　door：　〃Thibor；　I　have　a　pair　of　fine　piglets　here！〃
　If　I　answered：　〃Aha！　Your　parents　have　e　visiting！〃　he　would　simply　take　the　food　away。　But　if　I　said：
　〃Faethor；　my　father；　I　am　starving！　Feed　me；　pray；　for　if　not　then　I　shall　be　obliged　to　eat　this　dog　you've　locked　in　with　me　down　here。　And　who　will　serve　me　then；　when　you　are　out　in　the　world　and　I　am　left　in　charge　of　your　lands　and　castle？〃　Then　he　would　open　the　door　a　crack　and　place　the　food　inside。　But　only　let　me　stand　too　close　to　the　door　and　I　would　see　neither　Faethor　nor　food　for　three　or　four　days。
　And　so　I　〃weakened'；　I　grew　less　and　less　abusive；　I　began　to　plead。　For　food；　for　the　freedom　of　the　castle；　for　fresh　air　and　light；　and　water　to　bathe　myself…but　most　of　all　for　separation；　however　brief；　from　Ehrig　whom　I　now　detested　as　a　man　detests　his　own　wastes。　Moreover；　I　made　out　that　I　was　growing　physically　weaker。　I　spent　more　time　〃asleep〃；　and　came　less　readily　awake。
　Finally　came　the　time　when　Ehrig　could　not　wake　me；　and　how　the　dog　battered　on　the　door　and　screamed　for　his　true　master　then！　Faethor　came；　they　carried　me　up；　up　to　the　battlements　above　the　covered　hail　where　it　spanned　the　gorge。　There　they　laid　me　down　in　the　clean　air　under　the　first　stars　of　night；　pale　spectres　in　a　sky　I　had　not　seen　for　far　too　long。　The　sun　was　a　dull　blister　on　the　hills；　casting　its　last　rays　over　the　spires　of　rock　behind　the　castle's　towers。
　〃He　is　likely　starved　for　air；〃　said　Faethor；　〃and　maybe　simply　starved　a　little；　too！　But　you　are　right；　Ehrig…he　seems　weaker　than　he　should　be。　I　desired　only　to　break　his　will　a　little；　not　the　man　himself。　I　have　powders　and　salts　that　sting；　which　shou